Exporting Guidance & Support

Want to grow your business? It’s time to Get Exporting.

Click on the + symbols below to access further information and sources of advice to help you to Get Exporting.

First steps to exporting

Whether you make products or sell services – exporting can help your business grow, but knowing where to start can be a challenge. We know that exporting has a reputation for being difficult to develop and build, but there are services available to support your business to progress at a pace that suits you.

It is also worth remembering that exporting doesn’t have to mean doing business in another continent – Western Europe is a underexploited marketplace, and further afield traditional exporting markets, such as America, remain strong and an important market for the UK.

For first time exporters, here is a handy guide explaining the basics and advantages of exporting.

UKTI’s Passport to Export service is an export assessment and support programme for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) that provides new or inexperienced exporters with training, planning and support to grow their business overseas. The service can help you to assess your export capability and look at ways to develop it further, as well as getting you started on your exporting journey. Your Passport to Export lasts for 12 months, and over that time you will be assigned a local UKTI trade expert to support you through your journey. You can find out more about the service here.

If you’re looking for opportunities to sell your goods and services abroad, the UKTI Business Opportunities website can help to connect you with hundreds of opportunities every month. You can find out more by visiting the UKTI Business Opportunities website here and registering for alerts.

If you want to export to a particular country, UKTI also offer Export Insight Visits; these are group trade visits to European countries that give businesses with little or no export experience a practical insight into international trade.

Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce also run specialist International Trade Courses to provide you with the knowledge you need to support your international trade activities.

Finance

Ensuring that you have the right finance in place to support your exporting activities is vital. UK Export Finance (run by UKTI) have a team of local Export Finance Advisers to support both existing exporters and businesses with export potential by signposting them to banks, credit insurers, brokers, trade support bodies and sources of government support.

They also act as regional representatives of UK Export Finance with third parties, such as banks, brokers and trade bodies, and are an integral part of our drive to raise awareness of our products and services. You can find out more about UK Export Finance here, or contact a local adviser here.

Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce also offer their members a foreign exchange service, provided by currency specialists Moneycorp, to help you to protect your business against adverse rate fluctuations and make the most of any positive movements, whilst giving you access to exclusive offers and highly competitive rates of exchange. You can find out more here.

Export paperwork

Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce offer their members a range of services to help you maintain your competitive edge in the international marketplace, including ExportCert.

ExportCert is an Electronic Document processing system for exports, that helps to save time and money when exporting your goods outside the UK. The system provides an easy to use online application process for completing European Certificates of Origin, Arab Certificates of Origin for both certification and legalisation, EUR1s and A.TRs.

Many applications are currently approved within an hour of being submitted, and with simple screens and online applications that look just like the real thing, submission can be made in minutes. There is also the facility for users to attach additional documents in support of their application, while other documents can also have signatures attested. To find out more please contact the Export Team on 01223 237414 or visit www.ExportCert.co.uk.

The Chamber also offers a comprehensive ATA Carnet service, in conjunction with Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, processing and preparing the documents on your behalf.

An ATA Carnet is an internationally recognised booklet of vouchers which replace the usual Customs declarations for the temporary movement of goods. It avoids the need to provide securities for Customs duty and simplifies the formalities for goods temporarily exported or imported. The ATA Carnet is valid for a maximum of one year from issue and may be used for temporary importation of most goods as long as they are to be re-exported without having undergone any change. Find out more here.

New export markets

Once you have started exporting it is time to consider new markets. Whilst the BRIC economies often grab the headlines, there are a wealth of near market opportunities available across Western Europe, and traditional exporting markets, such as America, remain strong and an important market for the UK.

Selecting the right markets for your service or goods is crucial, and UKTI’s Export Market services can help you to make the right decisions for your business.

UKTI’s Export Market Research Scheme (EMRS) will help you research and select new markets, help you develop an export strategy and advise you on how to best your deliver products and services to ensure that you are successful. You can also apply for grants of up to 50% of your international market research costs through the scheme. To find out more about the scheme, contact info@ukemrs.com or click here.

Putting you in touch with UKTI trade specialists in over 100 overseas markets, the service can help you find the right export partners and introduce you to potential customers, guide you through market research and give you advice on the local business culture and Embassy facilities. To apply for the scheme, contact your local UKTI advisor.

Considered E-Exporting? Discover new markets with UKTI by exporting online through UK retailers on worldwide e-marketplaces like Amazon (US). Find out more here.

You can also register for business alerts from the UKTI Business Opportunities website that will connect your business with international opportunities here.

New to Exporting? Become a Chamber Member

Cambridgeshire Chamber have launched a new Global Membership package designed to help companies get involved in international trade.

Available to seasoned exporters and those starting to consider new markets, the package includes a number of cost-saving benefits such as access to Tate’s Export Guide (worth over £395 a year), it is the leading international trade reference publication covering the essential requirements for documentation and procedures involved in exporting to over 240 countries.

Other key benefits include:

Additional discounts on export documentation processed in person and online